Quote:
Originally Posted by dvmweb
We had a Windsport gasser. Overall we liked it.
We are looking, very seriously, at a new 33.1.
Is the isb 300 hp enough? Torque? Understand it's about 650 ftlbs.
Our toad weighs about 3500 lbs loaded.
We tow a cargo trailer that weighs about the same.
Quality, Fit and finish? Known issues? Advice?
We plan that this will be our last mh purchase.
2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B
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Last week I picked up a new 35.1 and would like to respond specifically to your question about "quality, fit and finish". My suggestion is to spend time in reading all the issues people talk about on this forum. Then, when you inspect your new coach you will be armed with the knowledge of what to look for and expect. My experience:
The paint has fine swirl marks that look like someone hand buffed while the paint was still soft. No amount of polishing removes these since they appear to be beneath a clear coat. They are not so apparent unless the light comes from a certain direction - the coach overall looks beautiful.
The refrigerator had been man-handled into position which resulted in the woodwork being gouged at the base of the refrigerator. This is not visible with the door closed.
The screws securing the cabinet hinges were mostly stripped (more than 50%). When I got home and put a screwdriver on them I could easily spin the screws - they were holding nothing. One hinge had no screws securing it. Many screws throughout the coach show obvious signs of a power driver over torquing and spinning on the screw head. The stripped screws were easily fixed by inserting longer screws by hand.
Unused screws were found beneath areas not easily swept.
The fabric on the couch has a nick we did not notice until getting home. The foldout bed feature of this couch is not of a useable design except for VERY occasional use.
The water heater intermittently fails to light - worked at the dealer.
A rubber seal on the bedroom slide was loose and the dealer glued it back in position. It is now loose again.
The bedroom drawers are flimsy and catch on the sides when attempting to open. Attention is required to keep them centered when pulling open.
The 4-position valve at the water hose connection works but not as marked. I still need to figure out how to reconnect the piping at the back of the valve. I noticed and removed a screw wedged beneath the plastic water tank - it could have latter caused a leak.
Overnight, water was noticed seeping out from beneath the couch. The dealer seems to have found the source and stopped the leak.
The radio display goes dark occasionally. When I touch the face it seems to come back on - don't know what is going on with this.
A significant amount of basement storage is taken up with the placement of electronics and the frame of the coach. No storage is available behind the doors for the batteries, the inverter, the water hook up, the fresh water tank, the propane tank, and the DEF tank. This being said, I still had unused space after packing for a trip.
The air conditioners are very noisy and make hearing the TV difficult but still OK.
Several switches on walls have no markings - a few others seem to be positioned illogically. There is no light that can be turned on before entering on the steps.
I am going to really like the drop down bed but my plan is to install a permanent mattress and adjust the up position when the bed is stored - more on this latter if I get this done.
Everything about the Freightliner chassis has been of superior quality. This thing drives like a dream and is dead quiet. There is a built in check list and trip computer which seem to be accurate. The speedometer and fuel gauge appear to be calibrated and give accurate readings. I tow a Mini Cooper and have gotten 10.8 mpg in economy mode and 8.6 mpg otherwise. The coach has 1700 miles on it now.
The screw device used to hold the refrigerator doors closed needs to be redesigned to something more easily used.
The side shades at the driver and copilot positions are difficult to operate and are of a poor design.
The Whirlpool dryer, which others don't seem to have this brand, has a sensor that literally pulls the loops out of the towels.
Our 100 lb Chocolate Lab tries to walk down the isle when the coach has all the slides retracted and he gets stuck at the bedroom. There is no place for him to turn around and I have to stuff him beneath the bed and spin him around and pull him out.
All of the room slides have been working smoothly. However, you will notice these have been problematic for others on this forum. My only concern so far has been what appear to be small shavings of aluminum on the racks that the drive gears engage. Hopefully these are wear-in marks and are not an indication that the gears are going to gouge into the racks.
Structurally I have not noticed anything wrong with the coach. Walls seem to be square and fixtures are of high quality. All of the windows are insulated, even the pilot and copilot side windows. However, an outside shade will be needed to slow down heat from the sun warming the front of the coach.
I am sorry for this long post but I needed to get this off my chest. When you pay $160k for something you don't expect it to show obvious signs of poor workmanship and disregard.
Even after posting the above I must say we are very happy with our purchase. You will notice everything I say negative about the coach are things that will be fixed without much effort (assuming the slides keep working). We could find nothing with a floor plan we liked as well as the 35.1 and this thing is truly a pleasure to drive. And, when opened up it is like living in a house.
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